Thrown Stone Theatre Company CT Short Play Fest

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Deadline: May 5, 2025

SUBMISSION FORM

Thrown Stone Theatre Company invites playwrights to submit short plays for the inaugural CT Short Play Fest, hosted in conjunction with the SoNo Arts Festival on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The CT Short Play Fest gives playwrights the opportunity to see their work performed and adjudicated before a live audience at the SoNo Arts Festival. In its inaugural year, the Fest will feature five plays in the afternoon session focused on teen and young adult playwrights, the winner of which will advance to the evening session to compete against five additional selections.

Please read the complete guidelines below before submitting, as multiple submissions are not allowed. If you have any questions prior to submitting, please contact us.

THE FEST IS PERFORMED IN TWO SESSIONS:

AFTERNOON SESSION

Five short plays written by high school- and college-aged playwrights. The winner of this session will advance to compete in the evening session.

EVENING SESSION

Five short plays by practicing playwrights who have had at least one previous professional or academic production, plus the winner of the afternoon session.

All plays will be adjudicated by a panel of industry professionals, who will provide feedback and select winners from each session.

Please Note: All selected plays will be presented as script-in-hand staged readings.

FEST DETAILS

Date: Saturday, August 2, 2025

Afternoon Session: 2pm
Evening Session: 6pm
Venue: The Crystal Theatre, 66 Bayview Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850

REQUIREMENTS

Playwrights should submit the following via our submission form:

• Script: The complete short play in PDF format.
• Synopsis: A brief (150-word max) synopsis of the play.
• Character Breakdown: A description of all characters, including any specifications for race, age, gender, etc., if applicable.
• Playwright Bio: A brief bio, including your experience as a playwright.

GUIDELINES

• Length: Submissions must be between 7 and 12 minutes in performance time and a maximum of 15 pages in length.
• Format: Scripts should be formatted in standard playwriting style and submitted as a PDF.
• Eligibility: Submissions must be original and not previously published, produced, or performed at any prior festival.
• Cast Size: Scripts must feature a cast of no less than two and no more than six actors. While the script can include more than six characters, the roles must be covered by no more than six actors. Solo shows will not be considered.
• Actors: Plays will be read by a dedicated house cast of 8-10 professional actors, selected and managed by Thrown Stone Theatre Company. This ensemble will perform all roles and stage directions for the festival. Non-traditional casting is likely, and will be handled respectfully according to the requirements of the play.
• Staging Requirements:Scripts should be suitable for a minimalist staging format, with actors reading from music stands.
• Minimal or no use of props, lights, sound, or other technical elements is required.
• Stage directions will be read aloud by members of the house cast unless otherwise specified in the script.
• Language: There is no restriction on the language, but if not in English, accurate translations must be provided with the submission, and the material must be reasonably understood by an English-speaking audience.
• Originality: Scripts must be original; unpublished; not previously produced; not previously selected or adjudicated in any festival; owned entirely by the playwright; and not generated in whole or in part by artificial intelligence.
• You Belong: Thrown Stone Theatre Company encourages submissions from playwrights of all backgrounds and identities.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Please note that we will accept and review up to 100 submissions for each session. Early submissions are encouraged as the review process will close once this limit is reached.

THROWN STONE THEATRE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE A venue at the Crystal Theatre, including a basic lighting plot, pre-set general lighting cues, and basic sound equipment.
A professional house cast for all roles and stage directions, as well as music stands and chairs for use during staged readings.
Front- and back-of-house personnel, including a board operator if needed.
Recognition of the selections and winners on Thrown Stone Theatre Company’s website.

PLAYWRIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES

Playwrights are encouraged to: Attend rehearsals
Collaborate with the creative team on any necessary script updates

TIMELINE

Submissions Open: March 5, 2025
Submission Deadline: May 5, 2025
Selection Notification: June 16, 2025
Fest: August 2, 2025

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Submissions will be evaluated on:

• Originality: Does the play present a unique perspective or idea?
• Theatricality: How well does the play use the tools of live performance?
• Central Dramatic Question: Is there a clear and compelling central dramatic question driving the play?
• Feasibility: Plays should be adaptable for performance by the house cast, with consideration given to flexible casting within the ensemble.
• Fun: Short plays for a festival should be fun. If your play isn’t fun, there should be a fun reason it isn’t.

FEST RECOGNITION

Selected plays will be recognized on Thrown Stone Theatre Company’s website under the categories:Fest Selections TYA: 

Afternoon Session (Teen/Young Adult) Selections.
Fest Selections: Evening Selections.
Winners from each session will also be indicated on the website. Selections may be linked to their corresponding pages on newplayexchange.org if applicable.

ABOUT THROWN STONE THEATRE COMPANY

Thrown Stone Theatre Company is the only professional theatre in Connecticut exclusively dedicated to new work from commission to development to production. Learn more and book tickets at thrownstone.org.